the goal is to pressure pakistan to fight militants more effectively and to stop elements of pakistan's military from backing the taliban in afghanistan. all of this, one more sign of the growing tensions between the u.s. a a pakistan. >>> as all of this debate over spending plays out in washington, in towns across this country, millions of americans just want to find a job. tonight, another stunning number behind the new and rising unemployment figures. it now takes an average of ten months to find a job, the longest ever. millions of americans now have only food stamps to get by, and those benefits kick in once a month at midnight. and it's created a new shopper in this country. the families heading out in darkness to get their food. here's abc's steve osunsami. >> looks like it's ready. >> reporter: we spent more than a month following leslie benson and her family. she was laid off from her job as a corporate health care administrator two years ago. her unemployment has run out. and the state gives her just $97 in food stamps each month to feed her family of three. >> we live for t t